Over 100 highlights from the V&A’s David Bowie’s archive to go on show in
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle.
- Outside of London’s V&A East Storehouse, David Bowie: On Tour is the only
opportunity to see such a range of items from Bowie’s personal archive up
close - Tour gives rare glimpse into David Bowie’s creative process and how he
shaped his iconic image, music, video, TV and film work - Highlights include legendary costumes, musical instruments + career
spanning photography, plus never-before-seen items including Polaroids for
make-up and costume fittings, a Ziggy Stardust-era acoustic guitar,
unrealised projects, handwritten lyrics, performance notes and costumes
from Bowie’s final albums, The Next Day and ★ (Blackstar)
Today, the V&A and partner venues across the UK announce
a landmark national tour celebrating the creativity and
enduring cultural impact of David Bowie. Bringing together
100 highlights from the V&A’s David Bowie archive – many
that have never been on public display before – David Bowie:
On Tour will travel to venues across the UK across multiple
years, kicking-off at V&A Dundee (November 2026 –February 2027).
Following its debut in Scotland, the tour continues to Showtown in Blackpool (June
September 2027), the Bowes Museum in County Durham (October 2027–January
2028), the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull (February–May 2028), and Bristol Museum and
Art Gallery (June–September 2028), with further venues to be announced in due
course.
David Bowie: On Tour marks the first time highlights from David Bowie’s archive have
been shared on this scale across the UK, outside of London, bringing Bowie’s story and
creative imagination to new audiences across the country. This touring programme is
part of the V&A’s commitment to widening access to its collections, ensuring audiences
across the UK can experience their national collections where they live.
Across four sections, David Bowie: On Tour takes audiences behind the scenes into
Bowie’s creative process, exploring how he created his ever-evolving image, music and
screen work.
Sir Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A, said: “David Bowie: On Tour is a landmark
national partnership for the V&A, bringing highlights from David Bowie’s extraordinary
archive to audiences across the UK for the first time. Working with our colleagues in
museums and venues nationwide, we’re opening up Bowie’s story in the places connected
to his life and legacy, ensuring people across the country can experience these
remarkable objects where they live, and be inspired by his enduring creativity.”
Harriet Reed, Curator of Contemporary Performance at the V&A, said: “David
Bowie’s archive reveals an artist in constant motion — a restless, forward-looking mind at
work beyond the music and images we know. From fan art and his first instrument to
unrealised projects, handwritten notes and unseen sketches, David Bowie: On Tour
brings visitors up close to the ideas behind his work — including items from The Next Day
and ★ (Blackstar) never shown before — offering new insight into how his creativity took
shape. It’s a rare chance to step inside Bowie’s imagination and experience the curiosity
and daring that defined his life’s work.”
Vicky Sturrs, Director of Programmes and Collections at The Bowes Museum,
said: “We’re excited to bring Bowie at The Bowes as part of the national David Bowie:
On Tour. Presenting 100 extraordinary highlights from the V&A’s David Bowie archive is
a major cultural moment for the North of England, giving audiences unprecedented
access to one of the world’s most iconic creative legacies and revealing the remarkable
imagination behind Bowie’s enduring influence.
“Being selected as one of only a handful of venues to present this exhibition is a
significant achievement and a real vote of confidence in The Bowes Museum. It
represents an exciting opportunity to welcome new audiences, strengthen our national
profile and bring a major cultural moment to County Durham and the North of
England.”
About David Bowie: On Tour
David Bowie: On Tour unfolds across four sections, each offering a different lens on
Bowie’s creative life.
The opening section, ‘Bowie Through a Lens’, explores how photography shaped
Bowie’s image and identity, featuring work by Terry O’Neill, Mick Rock, Sukita, Brian
Ward and more.
The second section, ‘All the Somebody People’ focuses on Bowie onstage and in the
studio across four defining eras, revealing how he continually reinvented his sound and
personas:
- Ziggy Stardust offers a case study in Bowie’s songwriting prowess and how he
crafted his iconic persona, from Freddie Burretti and Kansai Yamamoto
costumes to Bowie’s handwritten notes and cut-ups plotting the album,
sketches for the tour, and a seminal acoustic guitar from the era – on display
for the first time. - Bowie’s Berlin years highlight his pioneering use of techniques and recording
equipment in the studio with Tony Visconti and Brian Eno for albums Low
(1977), “Heroes” (1977), and Lodger (1979). From Bowie’s keys to his
apartment at Hauptstraße 155, Berlin, to his unseen sketches and concept
art for the cover of Low, handwritten lyrics for Lodger’s ‘Look Back in
Anger’, and the koto, the Japanese musical instrument, used by Bowie on
‘Moss Garden’ from “Heroes”. - Let’s Dance reveals how Bowie created the blueprint for major stadium
tours, with a series of unseen lyrics and a set design for the Serious Moonlight
tour on show for the first time, alongside photography of studio recording
sessions and the album’s cover shoot. - ★ (Blackstar) explores Bowie’s symbolism in recalling previous eras through
his final recording, with items including Bowie’s handwritten lyrics for the
song ★ (Blackstar), and hand-painted costume for the ‘Lazarus’ music video,
alongside performance notes and props, giving never-before-seen insight into
the album’s creation.
The third section, ‘Hooked to the Silver Screen’, reveals Bowie’s groundbreaking
performances on screen, from him pushing the boundaries with his approach to music
videos to his iconic film and TV roles and unexpected cameos. Highlights include: - Bowie’s storyboard sketches and the Natasha Korniloff-designed costume
for his ‘Ashes to Ashes’ music video (1980) to his collaborations with Flora
Sigismondi for the ‘Little Wonder’ music video (1997) and unseen video
treatments, scripts and props for ‘The Stars are Out Tonight’ video for The
Next Day album (2013). - Contact sheets from Bowie’s first ever film set, The Image (1967), the
clapperboard used for The Man Who Fell to Earth (1975), his unseen prep
notes for Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence (1983) and his script, character
notes and Polaroids of costume fittings for his character Jareth in the 1986
fantasy film, Labyrinth – along with other Polaroids of make-up tests. - Bowie’s further onscreen moments including his role as narrator for The
Snowman (1982) and his star turn as Lord Royal Highness in 2006’s SpongeBob
SquarePants movie, alongside a script for an episode of The Simpsons that
Bowie politely declined.
The final section, ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away’, explores Bowie’s interest in time,
documenting his process and legacy. The items and personal possessions that Bowie
chose to keep in his archive are revealing, showing a creative mind constantly thinking
about the next project. Highlights include: - Musical instruments and equipment, including Bowie’s first instrument, the
Grafton Alto saxophone bought for him by his father in 1961 and the harmonica
microphone used on his last live tour (A Reality Tour, 2003 – 2004). - Personal items, such as fan art, the stopwatch he used when songwriting, his
1988 British passport and his advance copy of The Velvet Underground’s
1967 ‘I’m Waiting for the Man’ record. Other items include a handwritten to
do list with the workshops, interviews and museum visits Bowie had planned,
charts revealing the projects he wanted to achieve – and those that went
unrealised, such as Bowie’s handwritten synopsis for a proposed TV film called
The Catastrophy Cabinet dating to around 1974 – 1975. - Items revealing Bowie organising his thoughts and planning for the future
span his 1977 inventory of costumes to documents revealing his thought
process and how he saw the music industry evolving, the song chart he used
during the Earthling tour (1997) and post-it note conversations with his
archive team about items he chose to hold onto.
David Bowie: On Tour has been developed by V&A Touring and V&A National
Programmes, in collaboration with partner venues across the UK, and is curated by
Harriet Reed, Curator of Contemporary Performance at the V&A.
The David Bowie archive was acquired by the V&A in 2024 through the generosity of
the David Bowie Estate, the Blavatnik Family Foundation and Warner Music Group. It
comprises more than 90,000 items spanning Bowie’s extraordinary career, from
iconic costumes and musical instruments to handwritten lyrics, photography, stage
designs and personal papers. Visitors can book free one-to-one appointments with
items from David Bowie’s archive through the V&A’s Order an Object and Archives
Appointment services and also visit the David Bowie Centre – the archive’s
permanent home – at V&A East Storehouse as part of East Bank in Queen Elizabeth
Olympic Park.
